Defensive Players Prepare To Step Forward

There's no way the Green Bay Packers can really replace Al Harris and Aaron Kampman in their defense, but they're going to go about filling those roles with players who aren't exactly new to the duty being thrust upon them.

Harris and Kampman are out for the remainder of 2009 with knee injuries, and as Head Coach Mike McCarthy announced on Monday, Harris' starting cornerback spot will be taken by Tramon Williams, who also started for Harris for four games last season when he was out with a lacerated spleen.

Williams performed well in Harris' absence last year, intercepting a pass in each of the first three games he was in the starting lineup. He finished the season with a career-high five interceptions.

Williams acknowledged that his job doesn't really change much with Harris out. With the Packers playing so much nickel defense, Williams estimates he's gotten about 70 percent of the snaps already this season. Now that bumps up to closer to 100 percent, but ..